Coogee Home's Hanging Garden and Indoor Plant Collection Flourishes
In the coastal suburb of Coogee, a remarkable green sanctuary thrives behind a side gate, offering a cool retreat even on the hottest summer days. Glynis Dimopoulos has cultivated a stunning hanging garden and an expansive indoor plant collection that has evolved over decades, beginning with a simple love for nurturing hanging baskets in a small corner of her property.
"I was thinking that there are so many people with limited space nowadays that my garden could just show them what they can do," Glynis explains. What started as a fondness for suspended greenery has blossomed into a full-fledged passion project, especially since her retirement five years ago, complementing her artistic pursuits like painting.
Indoor Plant Devotion and Artistic Arrangements
While her outdoor hanging garden is meticulously cared for, Glynis' dedication shines indoors as well. She admits with a smile, "I love them — I'm a bit obsessed." She finds deep satisfaction in growing indoor plants, which soften light, purify the air, and infuse life into every room. Many of her plants originate as cuttings from friends, a process she describes as giving her enormous pleasure as she watches them establish and flourish.
Each plant holds a story and connection, such as her prized variegated monstera, a birthday gift with marbled leaves that stands out in her collection. In her studio, built during the COVID-19 pandemic, she enjoys views of natural coastal plantings and the Indian Ocean, where her artwork and plant collection coexist harmoniously.
Methodical Maintenance and Travel-Inspired Choices
An artist's eye guides her indoor arrangements, focusing on texture, tone, and form. She executes a blue and white Hamptons coastal style flawlessly, selecting pots in various shades of white and sourcing quality supplies from L and J Garden in South Fremantle. Maintenance is systematic: leaves are wiped every three weeks to maintain gloss, and she uses liquid Thrive All Purpose and Charlie Carp fertilizers, preferring green leafy growth over flowers by switching to nitrogen-based options.
Travel has also influenced her plant selections. A trip to Bali inspired her to grow dragon fruit, initially for their beautiful flowers but now also for the structural appeal of the potted plants, with exotic blooms that open at night adding intrigue. Surrounded by greenery, Glynis balances painting and propagation, proving that inspiration, when nurtured, continues to grow endlessly.
